Israeli pop star Noa Kirel revealed Saturday evening on social media that Sergeant First Class (res.) Ori Yaish, who was killed in a terrorist shooting attack in southern Israel the day before, was her cousin and bid a heartfelt farewell to him.
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"The pain and heartbreak are relentless," wrote the singer, who represented Israel in last year's Eurovision Song Contest. "The tragic reality has reached me and my family as well. Reserve SFC Ori Yaish, an Israeli hero murdered in yesterday's despicable attack, was my cousin. I stand with the Yaish family, Ori will forever be remembered! May his memory be a blessing."
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Singer Noa Kirel and her cousin Sergeant First Class (res.) Ori Yaish
(Photo: Oz Mualem)
The IDF reported earlier Saturday evening that Yaish, 27, from Modi'in, a 16th Brigade soldier, was the second victim in the attack that also claimed the life of Yeshiva student Yishai Gartner, 23, from the ultra-Orthodox settlement of Modi'in Illit.
Four others were wounded, including a 16-year-old who remains in critical condition and two others in serious condition.
An IDF reservist who was at the scene engaged and eliminated the terrorist, later identified as Fadi Jamjoum, a Palestinian resident from East Jerusalem's Shuafat refugee camp.
"I was on the opposite side of the road, saw him shooting, and ran towards him with my gun drawn," he recounted to Ynet shortly after the attack.
"I charged at him, first firing from a distance, then closing in on him. I advanced while shooting, then reached him and confirmed neutralization."
A police source at the scene reported that the civilian began firing at the terrorist from a distance of 30 meters, noting, "He really sniped him from distance, managed to neutralize him and prevented further carnage."
The terrorist arrived at the Re'em Masmiya Junction near the southern city of Kiryat Malachi in a Mazda vehicle around 12:30pm. He then made a U-turn, exited his vehicle and opened fire from a handgun toward a crowd of people standing at a bus stop.
Police investigators described the terrorist as having the appearance of an “Islamic State member,” sporting a big, bushy beard and a white kufi (an Islamic prayer skull cap).